Ageless Soul: The Lifelong Journey Toward Meaning and Joy by Thomas Moore
Aging is… “becoming more of a person and more you over time,” says Thomas Moore.
“When you really age, you are engaged, and from that deeper taste of being a participant, your life finds purpose and meaning, gifts of soul.” Moore says aging is a process of humanization which is becoming more complex spiritually and culturally.
Let Life Shape You
Like wine, we get better with the passage of time. Moore says having experiences is not enough. It’s important to be affected by our experiences. He encourages us to open to learning from all experiences.
Stay in Touch with Your Youth
Notice how your youthful spirit shows up and stay in touch with the world and its advances. How does your youthfulness show up and inform your choices, creativity, and risking?
Embrace Melancholy
Sadness is a natural part of aging. You don’t have to make efforts to be artificially happy or put on a false front. If you accept the experience of melancholy, sadness, and other emotions, you may feel more real, authentic, and present.
The Downside and the Upside
Moore invites us to be realistic about the downside of aging’s losses, like loss of strength, friends, stamina. But don’t let these parts of life hijack our joy.